Biswajit murder verdict Wednesday

The verdict for Biswajit Das murder will be delivered on Wednesday, a year after the Old Dhaka tailor was hacked and beaten to death in public.

Prokash Biswas, Court Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 17 Dec 2013, 03:19 PM
Updated : 17 Dec 2013, 04:56 PM

The murder committed by leaders and activists of Awami League’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, had put the ruling party in a tight spot as it ignited widespread criticism and protests.

The case was transferred to Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 from the Dhaka District Judge’s Court earlier this year for faster trial.

The tribunal’s judge ABM Nizamul Haq will deliver the verdict against the 21 accused, most of whom are students of Jagannath University, situated right next to the court premises.

After hearing the final arguments on Dec 4, the court had set Dec 18 for a verdict.

Special prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam had then said that they had been able to establish their case and hoped the accused would get the maximum punishment.

Biswajit was attacked and hacked by pro-government activists on Dec 9 last year near Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka during a blockade of the BNP-led 18-Party alliance.

Sutrapur Police Station Sub-Inspector Jalal Ahmed filed the case accusing 25 unknown people.

Opposition leaders had severely criticised the ruling party for accusing unidentified people even after newspapers and TV channels ran reports with photos and visuals of those who attacked Biswajit.

Reacting to the criticisms, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad had said that the attackers were not Chhatra League members.

Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud had also said, “Biswajit’s attackers were not Chhatra League activists, they were infiltrators.”

Meanwhile, Jagannath University authorities gradually expelled the students whose photos were published in the news reports amid the police investigation.

Case investigation officer Tajul Islam submitted the chargesheet against 21 people on Mar 5, three months after the murder. Eight of the accused have been arrested while other 13 are still absconding.

The government shifted the case to the Speedy Trial Tribunal in July to expedite the trial after the chargesheet was filed.

Biswajit’s father Ananta Chandra Das and brother Uttam Kumar Das testified in the case in September at the tribunal. They demanded capital punishment for those who killed Biswajit.

Witnesses deposed that several handmade bombs went off when an anti-blockade procession of JnU Chhatra League unit on Dec 9 reached the northern side of the Bahadur Shah Park.

Chhatra League activists from the procession chased Biswajit and attacked him.

Tajul Islam, who was the final investigation officer in the murder case, told the court, “Chhatra League activists from the procession shouted ‘grab him, grab him’ and chased Biswajit up to the Intensive Dental Care’s first floor. There, accused Shakil, Yunus and Rajon hacked him with machete and swords.”

“Then he was brought to the ground floor where the other accused including Emdad, Nahid and Kaium beat him with metal rods and sticks.”

Then Biswajit with his body soaked in blood tried to run away, but he fell down at Shankharibazar lane, rickshaw puller Ripon Sarker said in his deposition.

Sarker had rushed him to Mitford Hospital in critical condition where doctors declared him dead.

During his deposition, Sarker also identified the arrested eight of the 21 suspects in the murder case.

Two other witnesses, transport workers Yusuf Bepari and Abdur Razzaq also identified one of the suspects, Rafiqul Islam Shakil in court. They said they surely saw Shakil hacking Biswajit with a machete.

The defence had tried to defer the trial process. The High Court had also rejected a plea of six accused for suspending the trial.

Defence lawyer Syed Shah Alam was also ordered to pay Tk 1,000 for obstructing the trial process.

13 accused still on the run

Meanwhile, police have not arrested most of the accused in the high-profile case even a year after the killing.

Those who have been arrested and currently behind bars are Rafiqul Islam Shakil, Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, Emdadul Haque Emdad, GM Rasheduzzaman Shawon, AHM Kibria, Saiful Islam, Kaium Mia and Golam Mostofa.

Those who are still absconding are – Rajon Talukder, Yunus Ali, Obaidur Qader Tahsin, Azizur Rahman, Alauddin, Imran Hossain, Mir Nur-e Alam Limon, Al-Amin, Rafiqul Islam, Kamrul Hasan, Tarik Bin Johor Tomal, Monirul Haque Pavel and Mosharraf Hossain.

Of the arrestees, Emdad, Shawon and Nahid had given confessional statement to the judge.

Though the law enforcers say they are on the run, there are allegations that some of the suspects still come to Jagannath University.

Tajul Islam claimed that they were vigilant and trying to nab the perpetrators.

Biswajit’s cousing Apu Das told bdnews24.com: “Several days have passed. If they can still stay absconding after committing murder, what are police doing? If police are sincere, how can the accused still be on the run?”

However, Tajul Islam said, “There are arrest warrants against the 13 fugitives. Those have been sent to all police stations. We keep constant communications with the stations. We are trying to catch them.”

Asked whether they are receiving any threats from the fugitives, Biswajit’s brother Uttam Kumar Das said they did not.

He told bdnews24.com: “They [accused] are not scared as they already know that there are no attempts to arrest them. Why would they threaten us if they are not facing arrests?”